Shifting mechanism for moving jackets and weights to and from molds



May 21, 1957 R. J. ANDERSON 2,792,503

SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR MOVING JACKETS AND WEIGHTS TO AND FROM MOLDS Filed July 15, 1955 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hllllllh.

Hussefzf J0 r5072 May 21, 1957 R. J; ANDERSON 2,792,603

' SHIFTING MECHANISM F'QR MOVING JACKETS AND WEIGHTS TO AND FRQM MOLDS Filed July 15, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I 35 5 5 6 v I I a? Eves sa a? J Qrzde/zzsara ky gzwwf awa M y 1957 R. J. ANDERSON 2,792,603

' SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR MOVING JACKETS AND WEIGHTS TO AND FROM MOLDS Filed July 15. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i z 1. 4 fiwsezz jai d sm 4064 $2 y cflil ioz feg SG MECHANISM FOR MOVING JACKETS AND WEIGHTS TO AND FROM MQLDS Russell J. Anderson, Racine, Wis., assignor to Belle City Malleable Iron Company, a corporation of Wisconsin Application July 15, 1955, Serial No. 522,294

7 Claims. (Cl. 22112) This invention relates to a foundry mold-handling apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to a device for handling mold jackets and weights in connection with the pouring of casting metal into conventional foundry molds.

In conventional foundry practices, molds, after they have been formed by suitable mold-forming machines, are usually transported on dollies, or tracks, to a pouring station where the foundryman then places mold jackets over each mold prior to pouring. The jackets generally comprise a connected rectangular wall structure of boxlike shape, with upper and lower open ends. The jackets are slipped over the molds, and, during metal pouring, they serve to reinforce the sides of the mold to prevent the molten metal from breaking out from the said sides. In order to hold the upper and lower halves of the mold together, it is also a customary practice to place a weight on top of the mold. This shifting of the jackets and weights to and from the molds, ,by this manual efiort, is exceedingly tedious, and requires the efiorts of many operators in order to secure any reasonable production. It is a prime object of this invention, therefore, to provide an improved production-handling device for the shifting of jackets and weights at a mold-pouring station.

Still another object is to provide an improved mechanical jacket and weight-shifting mechanism for the placing of a jacket and weight on a mold when it is in a moldpouring station, and for removing the jacket and weight from the mold when the casting has been formed.

A still further object is to provide an improved jacketshifting mechanism for a mold carrier-conveyor track; the shifting mechanism being adapted to mechanically handle jackets during a production-casting operation.

A still other object is to provide an improved conveyor mechanism and a plurality of jacket-shifting mechanisms; the mechanisms being disposed along the conveyor, and the conveyor including a movable device adapted to place a plurality of molds disposed on a carrier in position for receiving jackets prior to the pouring of cast metal,

Another object is to provide an improved conveyor, or track means, having a device adapted to place a plurality of mold carriers simultaneously in position relative to a jacket-shitting mechanism during one movement of the said device.

A still further object is to provide an improved jacketshifting mechanism for shifting jackets to and from molds, prior to and after pouring; the mechanism including resilient means for maintaining the jackets over said molds during pouring.

These and further objects will become more readily apparent from a reading of the specification when examined in connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of a portion of a mold-conveyor track and a jacket-shifting mechanism;

Figure 2 is a side-elevational view of a jacket-shifting tates Patent 2,792,603 Patented May 21, 1957 mechanism located at a pouring station, the view having certain portions broken away to show details of a raising and lowering mechanism;

Figure 3 is a schematic plan view showing a track, and jacket-shifting stations located thereon with a plurality of mold carriers in position prior to their being conveyed to the stations;

Figure 4 is a detail view of a mold carrier taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detail view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a detail view taken substantially along line 66 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a detail view taken substantially along line 77 of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a side-elevational view, enlarged, of a detail portion of a jacket-shifting mechanism taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a side-elevational view, similar to Figure 8, showing another position of the jacket-shifting mechanism;

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view of a mold jacket and a portion of a shifting means taken along the line 10-40 of Figure 9;

Figure ll is a detail view of a conveyor mechanism taken along the line 1111 of Figure 3;

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11, showing a difierent position of a conveyor mechanism; and

Figure 13 is a sectional view of a portion of a raising and lowering mechanism taken along the line 13-13 of Figure 2.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1 and 3, a moldhandling apparatus is generally designated by the reference character 10. The apparatus 10 comprises, essentially, a track 11, a conveyor mechanism 12, and a pair of jacket-shifting mechanisms 13 and 14 located at pouring stations designated as A and B.

The track .11 comprises track sections 15 and 16 located on the floor C of a typical foundry plant. The floor C is provided with a pit D, best shown in Figures 1 and 2. A plurality :of mold carriers 17, carried on wheelsv 18, are positioned for movement on the-sections 15 and 16. Each of the mold carriers is adapted to carry two molds 19, as best shown in Figures 4 through 7.

The conveyor mechanism 12 comprises, essentially, an indexing, or actuating, member in the form of an elongated channel 20, which is reciprocally positioned Within an elongated recess 21 in the floor C.

The channel 20 is provided with a front dog 22. addition, the channel 20 is also provided with dogs 23, 24, 25, and 26. These latter dogs are all alike in construction, and, as best shown in Figures 11 and 12, comprise an engaging surface 27. They are pivoted by means of pins 28, which are connected to the channel 20. A leaf spring 29, connected to the channel, engages a pin 30 for normally urging the dogs to project outwardly through slots 31 in the channel 20. The dogs 23 through 26 are, however, positioned in staggered, or otI-set, relation, and are adapted to engage lugs 32, on dog engaging means, which are connected to the underneath sides of the carriers 17; the lugs also being positioned in relative staggered relation. At one end of the track 11, as shown in Figure 3 and in Figure 11, there is provided a channelshaped depressing housing 32', which normally has positioned above it a plurality of carriers 17 awaiting movement into the stations A and B for pouring.

Reciprocation of the channel 20 is provided by means of a power unit 33 which drives, by means of a belt 34, a drum 35 on which a tension cable 36 is wound. The tension cable 36 is wound around suitable idler pulleys 37, which are suitably located, and opposite ends of the cable 36 are connected, as indicated at .38., to the channel 20.

Thus, upon reversal of movement of the drum 35, recipro- V cation of the channel 20 may be accomplished.

Each of the jacket-shifting mechanisms 13 and 14 comprise the same elements, and like reference characters will be employed. Each of the mechanisms13 and'14 comprise a pair of laterally spaced upright supports 40; the lower ends of which are suitably supported in the concrete construction at the lower end ofthe pit D, as indicated at 41. A rack 42, having conventional teeth 43, is slidingly supported on the supports 40 by means of guide elements 44, best shown in Figure 13; these elements being suitably connected to the supports 40 and being substantially coextensive therewith. As indicated at 45, suitable depressions are provided in the concrete con struction of the floor C and pit D to permit the retraction, or lowering, of the racks 42. The upper end of each rack 42 is connected by means of gussets46 to a transversely extending frame member 47. The frame member has connected thereto a plurality of longitudinally extending arms 48. The forward and rearward ends of the arms 48 carry a plurality of longitudinally and'laterally spaced mold jackets 49. The jackets 49 may be conventional in shape, consisting of four rectangularly disposed sides and being open at their upper and lower ends.

As best shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10, opposite sides of the jackets 49 are provided with attached plates 50 having a slot 51. Vertical members 52 are connected by means of nuts 53 to the brackets 54. Each bracket 54 is normally held up in position against the nuts 53 by means of spaced springs 55, suitably connected to the plate 50 and bracket 54. The member 52 also, in each case, is provided with a slot 56, through which a bolt 57 projects; the said bolt 57 being rigidly connected to an arm 48. Thus, in this manner, each end of each arm 48 is resiliently connected to each jacket 49. A stop 58 also is provided on each member 52. i

Raising and lowering of the racks 42 is accomplished by means of 'a reversible power unit 60 located in the pit D, as indicated. The power units 60 are provided with drive belts 61, which drive pulleys 62, best shown in Figure 13, for rotating a transverse shaft 63, suitably journalled on spaced supports 64. The shaft 63, in turn, rotates a plurality of gears 65 which, in turn, mesh with the racks 42 for raising and lowering the frame members 47 with their associated structure.

The operation Molds on the carriers 17 are'pushed into position on the right-hand side of the track 11, as best shown in Fig-' ure 3. These mold carriers come from the molders end of the lines, where the molds are prepared and placed on the carriers. The operator may manually place them in the position indicated or suitable automatic provisions may be provided. The motor 33 now moves the channel 20 to the right, and the dogs 23, 24, 25, and 26 are depressed as they move under the depressing housing 32. Four carriers 17 are now in position to be moved, as indi-' cated in Figure 3. These four carriers to be moved are also exemplified by the carriers shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7. As the motor 33 reverses, the channel 20 then moves to the left and the first dog 23 engages the lug 32 of the first carrier to move the same to the left. The dogs 24, 25, and 26, likewise, upon continued movement of the channel 20 to the left, successively pick up each of. the carriers, until all are being moved, and they are simultaneously moved into the positions, or stations, A and B. Since the dimensional spacing, or longitudinal location, of the dogs 23 through 26 is the same as the longitudinal spacing of the jackets, the carriers are moved. with the molds into perfect vertical alignment with said jackets. 7

After the carriers are placed in position at stations A and B, suitable switching (not shown) actuates the motors 60 to move the racks downwardly, whereupon the jackets 49 are lowered over the molds. .Each jacket 49 also, carries one or more weights 70, which may comprise sev-' eral pieces, or which may be one single member, pro- "vided with a pouring or clearance opening 71 which regisber 54, so that they react against the plates 50 to force the jackets completely over the molds and to resiliently restrain the jackets from moving upwardly during pouring of cast metal into the molds. The weights also place a downward pressure on the jackets and support the upper surface of the molds.

The'operator now pours the molten metal into the molds, and he may start at either station A or B. After a period of time to allow the molds to cool, he then actuates the motor 60, whereupon the racks 42 and frames 48 are moved upwardly to free the jackets from the molds.

The channel 20 is now again moved to the right and another four carriers are engaged by the dogs. Now, as the channel moves again to the left, the dog 22 is effective to engage the carrier 17, which is positioned on the right of the station B; and as this carrier is moved to the left, it moves the other carriers at the stations to clear said stations- It'is, of course,- obvious that numerous stations may be provided and that the channel will accommodate additional dogs for moving the carriers into said stations. Thus, it canbe seen that an improved jacket-shifting mechanism has been provided which will fully accomplish the objects set'forth, and that changes and modifications may be'made which do not depart from the spirit of the invention disclosed nor the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: I

1. A mold-handling apparatus comprising: a track, a plurality of metal-pouring stations located in longitudinally spaced relation on said track, each station comprising a jacket-shifting mechanism, each mechanism including a pair of vertically extending supporting members positioned in laterally spaced relation on opposite sides of said track, a frame mounted for vertical movement on said supporting members, said frame including a pair of laterally spaced arms extending substantially horizontally and parallel to said track, a plurality of mold jackets, means resiliently supporting said mold jackets on said arms whereby said jackets may be vertically moved with said frame, said jackets being relatively longitudinally spaced, a plurality of weights carried on said jackets, a plurality of mold carriers supported on said track, each carrier including a dog engageable means, said dog engageable means being relatively positioned in staggered relation, means for moving said carriers with molds carried thereon underneath said jackets, comprising a longitudinally extending actuating member disposed between said tracks beneath said carriers, said actuating member including a first dog connected thereto for engaging carriers disposed at said pouring station, second, third, fourth, and fifth dogs on said actuating member, said second, third, fourth, and fifth dogs being longitudinally spaced relatively a distance equal to the longitudinal spacing of said mold jackets, said second, third, fourth and fifth dogs being relatively staggered to complement said dog engageable means, means for moving said actuating member longitudinally whereby said first dog engages mold carriers at said pouring station and moves the same from said stations, said second, third, fourth, and fifth dogs being .engageablewith the dog engageable means of said carriers on said track for moving said carriers to said stations and underneath said jackets, and means connected to said frame foi -moving said frame to' lower said jackets and weights over said molds during the metalpcuring operation and for raising said frame upon completion of pouring.

2. A mold-handling apparatus comprising: a track, a plurality of metal-pouring stations located in longitudinally spaced relation on said track, each station comprising a jacket-shifting mechanism, each mechanism including Ia pair of vertically extending supporting members positioned in laterally spaced relation, a frame mounted for vertical movement on said supporting member, said frame including a pair of laterally spaced arms extending substantially horizontally and parallel to said track, a plurality of mold jackets, means resiliently supporting said mold jackets on said arms whereby said jackets may be vertically moved with said frame, said jackets being relatively longitudinally spaced, a plurality of Weights carried on said jackets, a plurality of mold carriers supported on said track, each carrier including a dog engageable means, said dog engageable means being relatively positioned in staggered relation, means for moving said carriers with molds carried thereon underneath said jackets, comprising a longitudinally extending actuating member disposed between said tracks beneath said carriers, said actuating member including a first dog connected thereto for engaging carriers disposed at said pouring station, second, third, fourth, and fifth dogs on siad actuating member, said second, third, fourth, and fifth dogs being longitudinally spaced relatively a distance equal to the longitudinal spacing of said mold jackets, said second, third, fourth and fifth dogs being relatively staggered to complement said dog engageable means, means for moving said actuating member longitudinally whereby said first dog engages mold carriers at said pouring station and moves the same from said stations, said second, third, fourth, and fifth dogs being engageable with the dog engageable means of said carriers on said track for moving said carriers to said stations, and means connected to said frame for moving said frame to lower said jackets and weights over said molds during the metalpouring operation and for raising said frame upon completion of pouring.

3. A mold-handling apparatus comprising: a track, a plurality of metal-pouring stations located in longitudinally spaced relation on said track, each station comprising a jacket-shifting mechanism, each mechanism including a pair of vertically extending supporting members positioned in laterally spaced relation, a frame mounted for vertical movement on said supporting members, a plurality of mold jackets, means supporting said mold jackets on said frame whereby said jackets may be vertically moved with said frame, said jackets being relatively longitudinally spaced, a plurality of weights carried on said jackets, a plurality of mold carriers supported on said track, each carrier including a dog engageable means, said dog engageable means being relatively positioned in staggered relation, means for moving said carriers with molds carried thereon underneath said jackets, comprising a longitudinally extending actuating member disposed be tween said tracks, said actuating member including a first dog connected thereto for engaging carriers disposed at said pouring station, second, third, fourth, and fifth dogs on said actuating member, said second, third, fourth, and fifth dogs being longitudinally spaced relatively a distance equal to the longitudinal spacing of said mold jackets, said second, third, fourth and fifth dogs being relatively staggered to complement said dog engageable means, means for moving said actuating member longitudinally whereby said first dog engages mold carriers at said pouring station and moves the same from said stations, said second, third, fourth, and fifth dogs being engageable with the dog engageable means of said carriers on said track for moving said carriers to said station, and means connected to said frame for moving said frame to lower said jackets and weights over said molds during the metal- 6 pouring operation and for'raising said frame upon completion of pouring.

4. A mold-handling apparatus comprising: a track, a plurality of metal-pouring stations located in longitudinally spaced relation on said track, each station comprising a jacket-shifting mechanism, each mechanism including a pair of vertically extending supporting members positioned in laterally spaced relation, a frame mounted for vertical movement on said supporting members, a plurality of mold jackets, means supporting said mold jackets on said frame whereby said jackets may be vertically moved with said frame, said jackets being relatively longitudinally spaced, a plurality of weights carried on said jackets, a plurality of mold carriers supported on said track, each carrier including a dog engageable means, said dog engageable means being relatively positioned in staggered relation, means for moving said carriers with molds carried thereon underneath said jackets, comprising a longitudinally extending actuating member disposed adjacent said tracks, said actuating member including first, second, third, and fourth dogs, said first, second, third, and fourth dogs being longitudinally spaced relatively a distance equal to the longitudinal spacing of said mold jackets, said dogs being relatively staggered to complement said dog engageable means, means for moving said actuating member longitudinally whereby said first, second, third, and fourth dogs engage said dog engageable means on said carriers on said track for moving said carriers to said stations, and means connected to said frame for moving said frame to lower said jackets and weights over said molds during the metal-pouring operation and for raising said frame upon completion of pouring.

5. A mold-handling apparatus comprising: a track, a plurality of metal-pouring stations located in longitudinally spaced relation on said track, each station comprising a jacket-shifting mechanism, each mechanism including a pair of vertically extending supporting members positioned in laterally spaced relation, a frame mounted for vertical movement on said supporting members, a plurality of mold jackets, means supporting said mold jackets on said frame whereby said jackets may be vertically moved with said frame, said jackets being relatively longitudinally spaced, a plurality of mold carriers supported on said track, each carrier including a dog engageable means, said dog engageable means being relatively positioned in staggered relation, means for moving said carriers with molds carried thereon underneath said jackets, comprising a longitudinally extending actuating member disposed between said tracks, said actuating member including first, second, third, and fourth dogs, said first, second, third, and fourth dogs being longitudinally spaced relatively a distance equal to the longitudinal spacing of said mold jackets, said dogs being staggered relatively to conform to said dog engageable means, means for moving said actuating member longitudinally whereby said first, second, third, and fourth dogs engage said dog engageable means of said carriers on said track for moving said carriers to said station, and means connected to said frame for moving said frame to lower said jackets over said molds during the metal-pouring operation and for raising said frame upon completion of pouring.

6. A mold-handling apparatus comprising: a track, a metal-pouring station located on said track, said station comprising a jacket-shifting mechanism, said mechanism including a pair of vertically extending supporting members positioned in laterally spaced relation on opposite sides of said track, a frame mounted for vertical movement on said supporting members, a plurality of mold jackets supported on said frame in longitudinally spaced relation, a plurality of mold carriers on said track, dog engaging means on each carrier, said dog engaging means being relatively staggered, means for moving said carriers on said track, comprising a longitudinally movable member disposed between said track beneath said carriers, a plurality of dogs carried on said movable member, said dogs being spaced longitudinally, the said spacing being substantially equal to the longitudinal spacing of said mold jackets, said dogs being relatively staggered to c'onform'to "said dog engaging means, means for mov ing said movable member toward said station whereby said dogs engage said dog engaging means of said carriers for moving the same to said station with molds carried thereon being disposed beneath the jackets, and means for shifting said frame vertically whereby said jackets are lowered over said molds during pouring and removed from said molds after pouring.

7. A mold handling apparatus comprising: a track, a metal-pouring station located on said track, said station comprising a jacket shifting mechanism, said mechanism including a supporting member adjacent said track, a frame movably connected to said supporting member for vertical movement, a plurality of mold jackets supported on said frame in longitudinally spaced relation, a plurality of mold carriers on said track, dog engaging means on each carrier, said dog engaging means being relatively staggered, movable means for moving said carrier, said movable means including a plurality of dogs, said dogs being spaced longitudinally substantially equal to the longitudinal spacing of said mold jackets, said dogs also beingrelatively 1 staggered to conform to said dog engaging means, means for moving said movable means toward said metal-pouring station whereby said dogs engage said dog engaging means of said carriers for moving the same to said station with molds carried thereon being disposed beneath said jackets, and means for shifting said frame vertically whereby said jackets are lowered over said molds during pouring and removed from said molds after pouring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

